Windmill pump-stroke regulator.



Patented Dec. 24, I90].

N. S. LOWRIE.

WINDMILL PUMP STROKE REGULATOR.

(Application filed June 6, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT GFEICE.

NEWELL S. LOWE IE, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

WINDMILL PUMP-STROKE REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,500, dated December 24, 1901.

Application filed June a, 1901. Serial No. 63,407. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NEWELL S. Lownrn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Windmill-Pump-Stroke Regulators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improved mechanism for regulating the stroke of the pumprod of a windmill.

My invention in its broadest sense consists of a lever pivoted within a hollow or recessed crank-wheel and provided with a pin constituting the wrist-pin of the crank-wheel and operatively connected to the pitman and means for moving the lever to change the position of the wrist-pin andvary the pump-rod stroke.

The details of construction will now be described, and in connection with the description attention is called to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a windmill equipped with my improved stroke-regulator. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the crank wheel and stroke regulating means. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in elevation of the crank-wheel, showing the means for locking and releasing the-wrist-pin lever.

In the drawings, X denotes the windmillframe, on the top w of which is mounted the wind-wheel Y.

' A designates the crank-wheel, which is mounted on a hollow shaft A, driven by the wind-wheel shaft B through suitable gearing. The crank-wheel is of hollow or recessed construction, and pivoted to the inner wall of the wheel on a pin or bolt 0 is a bell-crank lever'O. Near the end of one arm 0 of the lever is fixed a wrist-pin (Z, which is connected to the pitman d of the pump. The wristpin occupies a slot a in the wall ofthe wheel A, the slot being curved on a radius of which the pin 0 is the center.

E designates a spring, one end 6 of which presses against the lever to force it to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, in which position the Wrist-pin is nearest to the shaft and the pitman is given its shortest stroke. Thus will the windmill always begin to operate with a short stroke.

Connected to the otherarm c of the lever is a'cord or chain f. The shaft A is hollow, and the cord or chain f is passed through an opening I) in the side of the shaft,.and thence longitudinally through the shaft,being passed around a sheave f in the shaft, and is. attached at its other end with a swivel connection f to the inner end of an arm g. This arm is pivoted by a pin 9 to the windmill top frame m, and at the outer end of the arm is a vane G. The vane is located to be constantly in the wind, and as the wind velocity increases the lever is moved coinciden tly with the movement of the vane through the cord or chain connection to carry the wrist-pin farther away from the shaft to increase the length ofstroke of the pitman and pump-rod. The movement of the lever by the vane is against the action of the spring E, and as the velocity of the wind decreases the spring 0perates to retract the lever and wrist-pin. The stroke of the pump-rod is thus automatically regulated by the varying wind-pressure, the

longest stroke being obtained during the greatest pressure of the wind.

In Figs. 1 and 2 is shown a means for adjusting by hand the position of the wrist-pin. h denotes a chain passed about rollers 71. 'on the crank-wheel, the chain being connected to the'arm c of the lever by a hook If. t is a wire cord connected at its upper end to a sleevej on the pump-rod d and having at its lower end suitable means whereby it may be secured at different points on the pump-rod near the base of the mill. The sleevej has an annular groove rotatably receiving a collarj, to which is attached one end of a cord j, the other end of the cord beingconnected tached to the cord 0) and by its movement due means described.

sists of a plate K, having its inner edge to the weight of the extra flow of Water control the movement of the lever C.

I have provided means for locking the lever C in the adjusted position eifected by the The locking means concurved and provided with teeth k. The plate is slidable on guide-rods Z Z, and Z Z are coiled springs which operate to press the lock-plate into the path of the end of the lever-arm c, which end is provided with teeth 0 gagement of the plate K and lever locks the latter in, adjusted position, the locking being maintained during the greater portion of every revolution of the crank-wheel. At each revolution of said wheel the plate and lever are momentarily disengaged to allow of the further adjustment of the lever upon the change of the conditions. The lock-plate to this end is provided with a pin k, which passes through a slot and extends beyond the outer face of the crank-wheel into the path of a fixed cam m. The crescent-shaped cam is so disposed as to engage the pin and retract the lock-plate at each revolution of the crank-wheel, and during such retraction the lever and wrist-pin are moved to their new position. After the cam has passed the springs Z restore the plate to its normal looking position. 'lheadjustmentisalwaysmade while the pump-rod is on its downstroke.

I claim as my invention- 1.. A stroke-regulator for windmills comprising a lever pivoted on the crank-wheel and carrying the wrist-pin, and a wind-vane operatively connected with the lever to move it and change the position of the wrist-pin.

2. A stroke-regulator for windmills comprising a spring-pressed lever pivoted 0n the crank-wheel and carrying "the wrist=pin, a wind-vane operatively connected with the lever to move it and change the position of the wrist-pin, and means for locking the lever in its adjusted position.

The en- 3. A stroke-regulator for windmills comprising a hollow crank-wheel, a lever pivoted on the crank-Wheel, a spring bearing against the lover, a wrist-pin carried by the lever and extending through a 'slot in the crank-wheel for connection with the pitman, a wind-vane operatively connected with the lever for moving the lever against the action of the spring to change the position of the wrist-pin and vary the throw of the pitman, and means for maintaining the adjusted position of the lever.

4. A stroke-regulator for windmills comprising a lever pivoted on the crank-wheel and carrying the wrist-pin, a pivoted vane operatively connected with the lever to move it and change the position of the wristpin, means operating to lock the lever in adjusted position, and a device operating in the rotation of the crank-wheel to move the locking means and unlock the lever.

5. A stroke-regulator for windmills comprising a spring-pressed lever pivoted to the crank wheel and carrying the wrist pin, means for moving the lever to change the position of the wrist-pin,iand means for locking and releasing the lever consisting of a slidable spring-pressed plate carried by the crank-wheel and having a toothed edge in the path of the lever, a pin on the plate, and a fixed cam in the path of the pin.

(3. A stroke-regulator for windmills comprising a hollow crank-wheel mounted on a hollow shaft,a lever pivoted within the crankwheel and carrying the wrist-pin, a cord or chain attached to the lever and extending through the hollow shaft, and a wind-vane connected with the lever through the chain or cord to change the position of the wrist-pin.

-In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NEWELL S. LOWRIE.

Vvitnesses:

S. H. HOYT, A. A. STARR. 

